New paper on Work-Integrated Learning by the new paper by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario

As experiential education and work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities expand across Ontario and the rest of Canada, a new paper by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) cautions that a lack of clarity on a number of WIL legal issues is becoming increasingly challenging for institutions.

Maximizing Opportunity, Mitigating Risk: Aligning Law, Policy and Practice to Strengthen Work-Integrated Learning in Ontario identifies seven areas for institutions and policy makers to focus on: employment standards, health and safety, human rights, intellectual property, employment insurance, immigration law and tax expenditures. The study found that while only a small number of cases result in litigation, campus leaders and legal representatives are becoming increasingly preoccupied interpreting unclear laws and regulation, mediating disputes and negotiating agreements to address this growing and changing area of postsecondary education.

The report calls for greater clarity and consistency in the use of terminology to improve communication about the legal norms and expectations for WIL; more collaboration, communication and knowledge sharing throughout institutions, students, employers and government; and better and more publicly accessible data about the range of opportunities and experiences available through WIL.